Chapter 121

Logan

Emily and I stand next to each other, our hands connected, and we say goodbye to the people of the political campaign event. The energy of the house became more electric after my speech, excitement bubbling from within different sets of people. Everyone, including my father, had good things to say to me, words of wisdom that they wish to bestow upon me before parting.

Emily leans into me, putting her full weight into my side. I wrap my arm around her and stop shaking peoples hands, opting for a simple wave instead. I look down at her and press a kiss to the top of her head during one of the small gaps between groups, whispering to her that it will only be a couple more minutes until we can get back into the car and go home.

Out of the corner of my eye, though, I watch as my father stalks his own home. His eyes never leave Emily and I, nursing a glass of whiskey in his hand, watching as people slowly trickle out of his home. As more and more people leave, the closer he gets, and the closer Emily and I are to having a conversation that may turn south.

I do not know how he will fully react and respond to the news of our pregnancy. I know that in the contract that Emily and I signed, babies and children were not a part of the plan. It is fully because of her dormant wolf, a factor in her life that she truly has no control over.

I don't care, though. I only care about emily in the future that we are slowly building with one another, nothing else. It does not matter if my father tries to force the contract’s bindings onto us, it does not matter if my father tries to break us apart…I know that I am never going to leave Emily no matter what.

The doors to the house close, and I can feel my wife relax into my side. I immediately pick her up into my arms, wanting to get her off of her feet that I know are bothering her, and I walk her past my family and set her down on one of the chairs that are scattered around the room. I move another chair to her side and help move her feet up so she can fully relax, well, relax as much as she can, and walk to one of the caterers who are slowly cleaning up and grab a water bottle from their arms.

As soon as I make my way back to emily and hand the water bottle, my father and stepmother are sitting beside her. They are having a light conversation about the night, with Emily complementing my stepmother on her decorating skills with a smile on her face. I know that she does not want to be here, that she wants to go home, but I am very happy to see that she's making an effort and being cordial and nice with my parents.

I just wish my mother were here instead. She would have loved Emily.

I sit down in a chair next to Emily and place my hand on her shoulder, feeling the tension in her muscles as she opens up the water bottle. Before I can even get a word in, to ask how my wife is feeling, my father opens his mouth and speaks.

“Pregnant,” he breathes out, his eyes focused on me, “what could you possibly mean that you are pregnant? The contract clearly states that you two are not supposed to have kids with one another. It is a specific point in the—”

“Yes, I know,” I interrupt my father and sharply nod. I take Emily's hand in my own and give it a gentle squeeze, the corners of my lips perking up with a smile. “I fully intend on breaking the contract. I will not be divorcing Emily and I fully plan on raising our child as my own.”

Emily’s expression softens. She squeezes my hand in return and tilt her head to the side. Love and admiration is prominent in her eyes, you would have to be a fool to miss the love that she radiates when looking at me. I turned back to my father and keep my hand in her lap, hardening my gaze.

“Emily and I are in it for the long run. I love her and she loves me. There is nothing that you can do or say to make us change how we feel about one another. Besides, isn't it for the best that I remain happily married with one woman instead of divorcing and moving on to another?”

I say the last sentence in the hopes that I can appeal to my father with this decision I am making. I hope that I can appeal to him in a way that he can understand, the life of politics that he never got to have. A life that he never had a chance to live on his own.

“What about her sleeping wolf? What if your child comes out the same way?” my father asks.

I know that he means well, that he only wishes for me to have the best in my life, but his constant reminder that emily is somehow less than the rest of us simply because her wolf is asleep makes me so angry. It pushes me towards the edge that I didn't know. It makes me feel even more protective over Emily than I am now.

“It does not it matter if our baby has a sleeping wolf just like their mother,” I begin, keeping my voice as strong as possible, “I will raise that baby as my own regardless. Their mother has clearly proven that you do not need an active wolf in order to be an Alpha of a pack.”

I lean back in my chair and look over emily. She slowly drinks from the water bottle, her body slowly relaxing. I simply cannot focus on my father in the argument that he is trying to have; I am unable to get my mind off of the fact that I will be leaving here tonight with the love of my life and get to sleep in the same bed as her, to lay my hands on her baby bump as we both drift away into sleep.

“You can spin it however way you want,” I say, turning back to look at my father, a defiant smile spreading across my face, “I'm sure you can find a way to have it work out in my favor. We can donate to charities and spearhead a new movement in werewolf society. Society where equality comes in the form of active and sleeping wolves.”

I stand for my chair and look down at Emily. She places the water bottle onto the table and holds open her arms for me. I lean down and pick her up into my arms, carrying her with practice ease. Eileen over impressed a kiss to her cheek, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks.

“All I want to do is to love my wife and do what is best for our country,” I speak with a shrug. “If you have a problem with that, then maybe you should have made Reid your successor instead of me.”

Without wasting another word, I walk us out of the lavishly decorated home into our car, ready to get into bed with Emily and go to sleep after a successful night.